GARRETT BOWS TO INDIGENOUS PRESSURE ON CAPE YORK WORLD HERITAGE LISTING

Thursday, 25 March 2010 01:34 |

“Indigenous communities in Cape York have won a significant concession from Environment Minister Peter Garrett as a result of questions from The Nationals in Parliament,” said The Nationals’ Senator Ron Boswell today. “The Minister was asked by The Nationals’ Leader Warren Truss whether the government would proceed with tentative listing of Cape York on the World Heritage register without local indigenous support.” “For the first time, the Minister gave a clear answer, saying ‘any negotiations going forward on tentative listing are dependent upon full consent and participation of indigenous people on Cape York’.” “Previously, in the last Senate Estimates I asked many questions on this issue, and the government would say only that the Qld government was behind a delay in the tentative listing going forward.” “There has been consternation in indigenous communities in the Cape because they didn’t want tentative listing to go ahead without their consent.” “They realised that tentative listing was a big step towards World Heritage Listing which they were not comfortable with.” “Before today, indigenous support was a requirement for the final listing only, not the tentative listing. Now we have an ironclad commitment from Minister Garrett that the tentative listing also has to have indigenous consent.” “No doubt Mr Garrett has enough fires to put out without adding to them by upsetting indigenous communities and their supporters.” “It will be interesting to see the reaction of green groups to this new policy.” “This is a real victory for indigenous people who are anxious to determine their own sustainable economic future.” Senator Boswell warned that the Queensland government should take a lesson from Peter Garrett and stop overruling the plans of local indigenous people in Wild River areas. ENDS